1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to a manually actuated fluid dispenser. More particularly, this invention relates to a fluid dispenser having a rotatable nozzle cap and shroud which interlock to prevent the nozzle from rotating.
2. State of the Art
Co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,523 discloses a manually actuated dispensing pump which includes a trigger actuator, an outer shroud and a rotatable nozzle cap. The rotatable nozzle cap is rotatable to three positions: stream, spray, and off. This dispensing pump and those like it are typically used on bottles of household cleaners which are toxic if swallowed and harmful if sprayed in the eyes. It is therefore desirable to equip these pumps with a “child lock”. Several child lock designs have been proposed for this type of pump including the locking assembly shown in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,779. All of the child lock solutions proposed thus far suffer from one or more of the following disadvantages: they are too complex; they are too difficult to operate; or they are too easy to operate (i.e. they are ineffective in preventing a child from unlocking the cap).